Arabis turrita L. see also Arabis glabra (L.)Bernh.
Conservation status: C
First record: ?Gerarde, 1597. Andrews, 1722.
'Ray only knew the plant as foreign.' 'J.M. states that it was Arabis hirsuta.' CNHS.
SM Walters, 1950, On Arabis turrita L. in the Fellow's Garden. The Eagle Magazine, St John's College, No. 237, 54:148-150. Discusses early records and its re-establishment at Johns in 1860s by Babington.
[Walters thinks it was introduced there sometime between 1670 and 1722 since Ray did not know it there. The Eagle, Aug.1950.]
Arabis turrita Martyn,1763,15. 45
Turritis. Towers Mustard. Towers Treacle groweth.... and where flax did grow about Cambridge. Gerard,1597,212-3;1633 & 1636, 272.
... At Cambridge I mett with Mr Andrews,... On the walls of Trinity Colledge we found a sort of Leucoium called by Clus. Turritis major. June 28 1722 S. Dale, Iter Cantab.p.2.
Mr. Jos. Andrew shewed me this Ano. 1722. growing on the Garden Walls of Trinity College Cambridge. S Dale, BM.
Whitlow Grass Leucoium Hesperialis folio. Tourn. flore albo. on the Walls of Trin: Col out Houses. Anon,ann.Martyn,1727,p.78.
Brassica Turrita On Trinity & St John's College Walls. JM.ann.Meth.78.
Leucoium Hesperidis folio Tourn. Just.221. Brassica sylvestris foliis circa radicem cichoraceis C.B. Rai hist.798. On Trinity & St John's College Walls. Th.M.ann.Meth.78. Turritis St John's College Th.M.ann.Meth.-Index Loc.11.
*Turritis glabra var. b . Mr Ray described this plant under the name of Barbarea muralis Bauh.Hist. but it is the Turritis vulgatior of that author. Dr Martyn. Martyn,1763,15.
In muris on Trinity and St John's College Walls, Dr Martyn, Lyons,1763,42,(80).
Arabis turrita. St John's College walls. Martyn,1763,Herbat.I.
Trinity College walls. Martyn,1763,Herbat.I.
Turritis glabra Trinity bowling green Walls, Cambridge, June 1780. TJ Woodward, in Hb Brewer, RTE, and see DE Allen, Wats.(1982),14:1780. (Error for Arabis turrita L.)
Turritis glabra St John's College Walls–Trin: Coll: Walls Fisher ann. Berkenhout,187.
Arabis turrita Hudson's loc.at Cambridge annot: rt T. W[oodward]. Crowe ann.Hudson,1778.293.
Arabis turrita Tower Podded-Mouse-ear. On Trinity, and St John's College Walls. Relhan,1785.
Walls of St John's College, Cambridge, Rev. J. Dalton, 1787, YRK:87; HJW Cat.
Found hitherto only on the walls of Trinity and St John's College, Cambridge, where it was first observed by the late Professor Martyn, and from whence the Rev. Mr. Sutton favoured us with specimens. Sowerby (1794) 3:178.
From Cambridge. Given to me by the Revd.–Hemsted.1796. I sowed the seeds on my Garden Wall at Wisbech where it continued to grow for several years. Skrim.MS.
From Cambridge. Presented by the Revd. Mr Hemsted. 1796.[on the back] This Specimen was given to me by Mr Hemsted. 1796. [W.Skrimshire] Hort.Sicc.5:WBCH.
Arabis turrita Tower Podded-Mouse-ear. On Trinity, and St John's College Walls. Relhan,1802.
Walls of Trinity College, Cambridge. Near the door leading into the Cloisters from the Walks, Rev. Rev. J. Dalton, May 18, 1803, YRK:87; HJW Cat.
Arabis turrita Observed by Professor John Martyn, before the year 1732 on a wall at Lewisham, in Kent; and on the walls of Trinity and St Johns Colleges in Cambridge; on the latter of these it still grows abundantly. Miller,1807.
Arabis turrita Tower Podded-Mouse-ear. On Trinity, and St John's College Walls. Relhan,1820.
[Demolition of 17th century large old wall along the northern edge of the Fellows' Garden and also the small wall "on the south side of the Wilderness," and new wall built subsequently where it is today. see The Eagle(1949) no.235, p.147). Walters. The Eagle, 1950,149.] On Trinity, and St. John's College Walls. Henslow ann. l:270.
Cambridge, JS Henslow, 14.5.1823, CGE.
Cambridge, JS Henslow, 21.5.1824, CGE.
Walls of St John's Coll. W.L.P.G., 4.4.1825, SWN.
Cambridge, JS Henslow, 23.5.1827, CGE.
Cambridge, CC Babington, 9.6.1827, CGE.
Trin. Coll. Cant. Henslow, n.d., Hb Rev. J Dalton, YRK:87; HJW Cat., 1820 added.
Walls Trinity College Cambridge S Hailstone, n.d., YRK:87 & HJW Cat., 1820 added.
Walls of Trinity College Cambridge S Hailstone, n.d., SH Cat. p.201.YRK.
From top of wall behind St John's Coll: W.S.G., 16.5.1829, BM.
Walls of Trinity College Library, JW Barnes, 1832, Hb RJ Bunch, LTR.
Cambridge, CC Babington, 10.5.1833, CGE.
Cambridge, CM Lemann, 10.5.1833, CGE.
Walls in the lane between Trinity & St John's. 1835,Coleman(a),60.
Walls in the lane between Trinity & St. John's, & on the ledges of the buildings near St John's Old Bridge. Coleman(b).
Cambridge, CM Lemann, 5.1835, CGE.
Cambridge, Prof. Henslow, n.d., SWN.
Trinity College, Sir CJF Bunbury in Herb. Lady Blake, n.d., IPS.
St John's College Walls, Cambridge, G Luxford, n.d., SWN.
Old Gateway at St John's College Cambridge Very Rare, n.c., n.d., SWN.
Cambridge, Fenton JA Hort, Ap. 1848, YRK:87.
Arabi turrit On Trinity, and St. John's College Walls. Bab.ann.Relhan,270.
Walls of Trinity College, Jas. Backhouse, n.d., BM.
Long established in St John's College walks. Bab.MS.Fl.I:54.
[Dist.] 1. Old walls about Trinity and St John's Colleges, less abundant now than formerly, owing to recent repairs. Bab.1860,17.
[Dist.] 3. Lately established near the brook in the walks of St John's College. Bab.1860,17.
Old boundary wall St John's Fellows' garden, ES Gregory, 29.5.1906, BM. [x 4]
On old wall in the Fellows Garden of St John's College, G.Goode, 15.6.1909, BM.
'The Arabis turrita has been in St John's Fellows' Garden for more than 50 years! They very jealously guard their plants & flowers but I will manage to secure a specimen for you this year if possible, but if not next season.' G Goode (Lyndhurst, De Freville Avenue, Cambridge), in litt. to CE Salmon, 14.6.1910, BM.
old boundary wall St John's College, Fred Robinson, with Mrs ES Gregory, 30.4.1918, BM.
'I quite meant to have sent you these precious seeds of Arabis turrita. There are about 20 plants of it now on the St John's wall & several flowering spikes that have shed their seed. I have planted 2 or 3 seeds on my wall & hope they will take hold.' AJ Crosfield (from 5 Madingley Road, Cambridge), 3.12.1918, BM.
(seeds), Cambridge. St John's Wall Hb CE Salmon, n.d., BM.
St John's College wall. CE Salmon, 18.9.1923, BM.
Wall of St John's Wilderness bordering on Queen's Rd May 1927, Mills ann.
Still at St John's. EF Warburg, c.1936.
St John's, many seedlings, flowered 1939 and 1940, J Rishbeth.
St John's College wall, about 20 stems in two colonies, fruiting, 12.8.1945, James A Whellan.
Surreptitiously viewed on the wall in St John's Wilderness, May 1947. Doing quite well there. DE Coombe, Card Index.
Wall, on either side of a small tool shed, by the Queen's Rd entrance of St John's College, PH Oswald, 6.6.1952; 27.4.1953; 2.5.1954.
48 fl. plants in 2 sites on old wall, St John's College (either side of old tool shed), CS, CP and sketch map, G Crompton, 10.5.1976.
Seedlings established on wall/garden in the Master's Garden and flourishing. f. Mrs Diana Mansergh, (The Master's wife) c.1980.
